Buddhism in Thailand

Buddhist Art in Thailand.

Buddhism in Thailand is not a homogeneous religion as most other are since there are always sects with their own rules believing and mythology often in a combination with people issuing strict rules. A beautiful version of Buddhist art is a Jade Buddha which adorns many houses and offices in the "eastern world".

There is no abstraction and no person who is the god this is the real world since all "gods" are human invention from people who are not capable to handle their life and they try to pass the problems to some "holy ghosts" as the Catholics do maybe they can solve them very comfortable and full of lies.

Thailand Buddhist Monks traveling
Thai Buddhism is very near to the usual social behavior and interacting of the common people. 

Buddhism in Thailand is based on the normal behavior in the country practically a sprawling conglomerate of lies and deceptions. Which should not be especially not with the clergy. 
Thailand Spirit House
  • Thailand has a special local version of Buddhism read here:
Buddhist Monks in Thailand
Buddhism in Thailand
Buddhism in Thaiand 1
Buddhist Monks arrested.
Some more arrests of Thai Buddhist Monks.
More arrest warrants for Thai Buddhist Monks.
One of the worst Thai Monk Scandal.

Some more monks catched
Buddha Buddhism Pagoda and Temples
Buddhist Nun and meditation
Buddha and Buddhism readings
Buddhist teaching
Teaching in the monastery school
Buddhist teaching bring one of the most popular religions or rather philosophy since there is no explicit god and that’s very good since there is no one anyway. Everyone who walks on earth without any of the blinkers will automatically know this. 

Buddhism was founded in India around 500 BC and made its way through Asia first to Tibet China Sri Lanka and Myanmar (Burma) after Thailand and slowly expanding its footprint.

Countless Buddhist Temples in Thailand.

A interesting question is what is the difference between a Buddhist temple and a Pagoda? The first can be entered just as walking into a Church or Mosque and the Pagoda also known as a Stupa or Chedi is a solid construction without a walk in. Two versions have been constructed as buildings and in caves.

Over time plenty of sects developed with its own doctrines and legends. Although it has produced not much mythology of its own it has incorporated legends of various regions.
The roots came from Siddhartha but there are many ideas and local plus national versions the whole is characterized by complicated dogmatic expressions. But beside of all this diversity and variants there are some common values in the different countries.

One of this is the doctrine of the eternal changeability in the world and the lack of an eternal soul further the doctrine of the reincarnation rebirth karma and the belief in the inevitable practical effect of human activity. The main versions of Buddhism are Theravada or Hinayana "Small Vehicle"  and the Mahayana "Big vehicle" but in all versions Buddha is the main object of veneration.

Buddhism is full of legends which are often visualized in form of Buddhist art such as statues painting murals and other. Considering the long time frame it is often difficult to separate fact and fiction but the basics are well known such as his religious teachings.

The Buddha follower in Asia and all over the world still take the teachings quite serious since it is not so much directed to a "God" who watch over the local ghosts and deities as it is in Myanmar e.g. they have their local Nats which are ghost of dead people living in the trees or small spirit houses they also have this in Thailand where practically in front of every house is a small shrine.  

Since it was started in India no wonder that there have been and still are influences of Brahmanism which is again a variation of Hinduism. Over time all countries created their particular styles to present it to the believers. 

Thai Buddhist Monks on the road near Khao Lak in south Thailand (photo right).

This religions share the belief in reincarnation and karma inclusive Indian gods called Devas and Asuras which are the demons.
Legends tell about Amitabha who was a bodhisattva, means a person who found enlightenment but delayed his entering into nirvana to help others to gain enlightenment by meditation too.

Meditation retreats at Sagaing Mandalay
Meditation retreats
A great place in Myanmar with monasteries and Buddhist retreats is Mandalay and especially Sagaing which is the province across the Irrawaddy River. 

Buddhism Christianity and Islam.

Totally opposite are religions such as Islam and Christianity which claim only they are right in terms of religion. As a matter of fact one can easily distinguish a primitive from a advanced and humanitarian religion by checking the tolerance giving to others with a different thinking pattern. 
This more or less Indian idea is on top of any by this parameter. Here nobody give you a problem when you think in a different way, in Islam, if you think different, they stone you, they hang you and they kill you by some other means, strange religion isn't it ? 
As a matter of fact they do even the same when a women make some "winkle - twinkle" to a other guy and the Turks, Kurds, Moroccans and so on even kill their sisters and brothers if they mingle with people of other religion, this happen in the 21. century.
Boys at novitiation and more >
The five Mudras, read more >
Buddha antiques are often high priced, more >
In particular when there is real evidence that they are genuine old, since there are many fake items its necessary to be very careful when buying any, on top of it almost no country where they are available allows to export them.
This old pieces of desire is real business and they make plenty of money usually at auctions since that makes i bit less transparent because it quickly disappears and no traces left.
Especially the newly rich from China throw plenty of money when they think to get back some great heritage. That could be just the top piece of decoration in a new built residence somewhere. From a certain amount of money they own it's only gaming and to try to play some games.
In Thailand it looks different sometimes, more >
Thailand is a mainly Buddhist country (there are also a lot of Muslims) and has some of the best Buddha related art plus exotic temples where they are on display such as Ayutthaya and Sukhothai a rather modern version can be watched along many highways where Buddha Statues are placed along the road for sale as decoration.

There are many other Buddha Statues in museums and monasteries or often just as home decoration. 
All of this places have one in common they show Lord Buddha in different poses, styles and materials. There are plenty of things to see from several countries, almost a culture fusion of items from India Cambodia Myanmar and China.

Buddhism Christianity and Islam are the three most universality religions as they are not nation specific. This is a rather modern philosophy, its more than 2000 years old but the elements of pluralism and humanity are definitely included. 

Buddhism Related in Thailand

Buddhist PaintingBuddhist Monk travel in north Thailand


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